Why gut testing needs a new era
40% of people live with an ongoing functional gut disorder.¹ That is not a niche clinical problem. It is sitting in consult rooms every day: the patient with persistent bloating, the IBS-type presentation that hasn't responded to dietary change, the person still symptomatic months after an infection. Most of these patients have already had tests. Many have tried the standard protocols. And too many are still without answers.
The gap isn't science. It's access to it.
Microbiome science is moving fast. Practitioners tell us they want to use the latest research, but not at the cost of hours spent interpreting complex reports and cross-checking evidence between patients. They feel overwhelmed, and that leaves them without the time or the confidence to build personalised actions using the latest evidence.
That is a problem of design, not of practitioner capability. When the latest science only reaches the people with the most time to interpret it, patients lose out.
What a new era of gut testing looks like
We think it rests on three shifts. From data to guidance. A long list of results is not an answer. Raw data needs to be synthesised, using the latest science, into interpretations a practitioner can understand and explain in minutes.
From single species to the whole ecosystem. The links between any specific species and their effect on health are complicated and nuanced. Seeking out one species can be like missing the forest for the trees, and treating one in isolation can be like pulling the wrong Jenga block. The focus becomes feed, feed, feed, not weed, seed, feed.
From expert-only to everyone. The latest evidence should be available to every practitioner, whether they have been testing for years or are just starting. That means clinical guidance built into the report, with the reasoning visible, and support when you need it.
Why we built Microba GI Navigator
That is the thinking behind Microba GI Navigator, the first test of its kind, built to resolve complex GI symptoms with easy-to-use clinical guidance built on the latest science and full microbiome mapping².
It brings four data streams into one report: shotgun metagenomics for full microbiome mapping, a patient presentation assessment, gut physiology markers and targeted pathogen screening. That data is synthesised into 22 critical areas of interpretation across seven health categories, each mapped to personalised, prioritised suggested actions³ derived from evidence-graded insights based on 2,500+ peer-reviewed studies.
And because confidence comes from understanding, you can click any interpretation, marker or action to see the reasoning behind it.
Support for judgement, not a substitute for it
GI Navigator is a clinical decision support tool. The suggested actions are there to inform your management plans, not replace your clinical judgement. The practitioner knows the patient. The test is there to give them better information, faster.
Which test should you start with?
GI symptoms are the primary concern? Start with GI Navigator. A broader systemic health question? Microbiome Explorer is still the right place to start. Both are built on the same platform, with full microbiome mapping, evidence-graded insights and accurate lab results you can trust.
See GI Navigator for yourself
If you work with complex GI patients, we would love you to see what a new era of gut testing looks like. Watch the demo and explore a report on the product page.
Better science. Better insights. Better health. Microba. Expect Better.
¹ Sperber et al., Gastroenterology, 2021. ² For use by Health Care Practitioners as a clinical decision support tool. ³ Personalised actions are to be determined by the treating healthcare professional. The suggested actions are intended to inform management plans, not replace, clinical judgement.
